Sanibel Island Reporter/Islander

Island funds launched to help recovery and restoration efforts

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

a

Sanibel and Captiva, the Category 4 brought maximum winds of 150 mph and storm surge of up to 15 feet in some areas, leaving a path of destruction in its wake

In the weeks since and continuing now one month later today island entities have been assess ing the damage and picking up the pieces, while plan ning on how to rebuild and restore what once was

For those interested in helping the effort, a number of fundraising campaigns have been set up.

American Legion Post 123

American Legion Post 123 has created the Relief for American Legion Post 123 Sanibel

The donations will assist with rebuilding the Post and Timmy’s Nook Tiki Hut and easing the burden of unemployment for its employees, many of whom

See ISLAND FUNDS, page 10

American Legion Post 123 is accepting dona tions to rebuild the Post and Timmy’s Nook Tiki Hut and assist its employees, many of whom have lost their jobs and residences.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 123

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

As of Oct 20, all students attending Lee County schools can resume their edu cation, either in a school building or through Florida Virtual FLEX

Having all the school buildings that could be re opened open, and the remain der of students learning virtually or at combined schools, is just the beginning of the recovery process, School District of L e e C o u n t y S u p e r i n t e n d e n t D r Christopher Bernier said

Hurricane Irma had a $50 million impact on the school district with the potential of adding another zero to that number because buildings are significant ly damaged, he said It is a reality the district may face just to return the schools to their prior state, which does not include the three schools that took a significant hit: The Sanibel School, Fort Myers Beach Elementary and

“We still have more evaluations to do on those buildings as well,” Bernier said

The Sanibel School and Fort Myers Beach Elementary School are combined s c h o o l s w i t h S a n C a r l o s E l e m e n t a r y School for the duration

Audrey Stuart, a Sanibel resident, busi ness owner and parent of two children at the island school, spoke before the board on Oct 18 She shared that on Oct 14 nearly 100 parents joined a Zoom call, w h i c h S u p e r i n t e n d e n t ’ s O f f i c e

Coordinator Adam Molloy attended

“As you are aware, The Sanibel School is a special place with a rich history,” she said, adding that they want to be a part of the cleanup and rebuild, ready to assist in any way possible

Kate Shaffer, also a resident of Sanibel with two children at the island school and a member on the Sanibel School Fund,

said they are organizing relief team com mittees to form a direct line of communi cation to the district, as well as creating a school district liaison committee

“We are ready to assist your efforts We look forward to working collabora tively with you,” she said

Bernier said there is a clear community e x p e c t a t i o n a n d a s t h e y l o o k a t t h e upcoming week they will begin to have those interactions

“There are some difficult decisions, gut and rebuild, or rebuild There are some other discussions that we need to have. We will sit and converse what your thoughts and expectations are and what our thoughts and expectations are,” he said of the timelines moving forward

Bernier said that also goes for Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and H e c t o r A C a f f e r a t a J r E l e m e n t a r y School

City provides updates on recovery effort

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

W i t h t h e r e c e n t r e o p e n i n g o f t h e Sanibel Causeway, officials with the city of Sanibel are asking residents, business o w n e r s a n d t h o s e t r a v e l i n g o v e r t h e bridge to be patient and follow the proto cols

During the city's Facebook Live on O c t 2 1 , C i t y M a n a g e r D a n a S o u z a explained that the Florida Department of Transportation slowed down its work last week on the ongoing permanent repairs to the causeway due to the expected increase in public traffic, but will pick up the pace again this week

People are asked to be patient, as there will be long lines, and carpooling will help reduce that

“I ask you to carpool,” he suggested for employees and residents headed to the same spot

Souza also reminded the public that the right lane is only open to essential response personnel

“Stay out of that right lane,” he said “So stay in the left lane Stay in the left all the time ”

At the same Facebook Live, Police Chief William “Bill” Dalton reiterated that the Sanibel Police Department is receiving mutual aid from the Lee County Sheriff's Office and outside agencies.

“Please don't be disrespectful to these officers,” he said, pointing out that the o f f i c e r s a s s i s t i n g f r o m o u t s i d e l a w enforcement agencies have left behind their families to help the island in its recovery

Dalton also reported that the SPD is investigating 11 burglaries and 13 thefts, mostly bicycles

“So it's nothing real serious,” he said “But even one is unacceptable because that's someone who's victimized.”

During a Facebook Live earlier last week, Dalton reminded people not to lend out their hurricane re entry pass to any

Hector A Cafferata Jr Elementary School in Cape Coral.

Sanibel fire crews respond to golf cart fire at The Dunes

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

Several electric golf carts that were flooded in Hurricane Ian caught on fire last week on Sanibel

At about 4 p m on Oct 16, the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District responded to The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club, at 949 Sand Castle Road, Sanibel The district reported that the fire was contained and con fined to the carts, which were parked in a paved area, and there was no structure involvement

The responding crews remained on scene until all of the hazards had been mitigated

Fire Chief Kevin Barbot reported that there were 32 carts involved.

It took the crews about 15 minutes to control the fire and extinguish the flames

He noted that there were no reported injuries

“We don't know the source It's undetermined,” Barbot said of the cause of the fire, adding that it probably can be attributed to the batteries, however, as they were sub merged during the storm

Hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles are designed to be safe in the water, even when fully submerged However, submersion in water especially saltwater can damage low and high voltage components, resulting in an electrical short and potential fire once that vehicle is no longer submerged

In a social media post, The Dunes reported that the carts had been removed from its cart barn the previous week as a precautionary measure as their storm surge soaked lithium batteries were a known fire hazard The remaining undamaged carts have since been moved near the burn pile for safety

To prevent another fire, residents who left an electric vehicle or golf cart in or near their property before the hurricane have been asked to contact the district Fire crews have been relocating vehicles and carts from inside garages and near homes to an area at least 15 feet away from any structures

The district can only move vehicles if it can access the properties and garages

“The district's goal is to move these vehicles a safe dis tance from homes,” it reported “Your fire district is con tinuing it's extraordinary work on removing these assets to a safe distance ”

Any residents who left an electric vehicle or golf cart in or near their property is asked to email Assistant A d m i n i s t r a t o r G r e t a F u l

e r s o

a t g

e r s o n @ s a n i belfire com and provide the following information: name, phone number, address and type(s) of vehicle(s) on the property

SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT

The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District responded to a fire involving multiple electric golf carts on Oct 16 at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club on Sanibel

Sanibel Fire and Rescue District crews have been relocating electric vehicles and carts from inside garages and near homes to an area at least 15 feet away from any structures

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Editorial

Vote ‘No’ on Lee County School District referendum

On these pages in recent weeks we have run guest opinions and letters to the editor urging a “No” vote on a ballot referendum that would repeal a decades old local resolu tion that establishes the appointment of the School District of Lee County’s superintend ent of schools If approved, the top adminis trative post would become an elected posi tion

These “vote No” submissions, summed up succinctly, argue that a hired superintendent, q u a l i f i e d b y e d u c a t i o n a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l expertise, should lead the day to day opera tions of our school system to ensure the best education for our children Voters, these con tributors point out, elect school board mem bers who set the policies that reflect local community standards and, to the extent pos sible, control where and how tax dollars are spent

It is the best of both worlds system used universally in all states but Alabama and Florida, where the state constitution allows for a choice and an elected superintendent is a relic among some of the state’s smaller school systems

Lee County school boards have appointed the public school system’s superintendent since 1974 when voters approved the local resolution this referendum seeks to overturn

We agree with our community contribu tors: Our appointed superintendent/elected

Vote for incumbent librar y board candidates

To the editor:

The Sanibel Public Library is a gem on this island It is award winning, well respect ed, and treasured by those who know it The library is managed by a board of seven non partisan commissioners elected by Sanibel citizens. This November, three of these library board seats will be contested

I am writing to encourage Sanibel resi dents to vote on Nov 8 for the three incum bents on the board: Roy Gibson, Barbara Ruben, and Susan Holly These three indi viduals are deeply committed to this commu nity and to the library, and they have worked wonderfully with the rest of the board to con tinue our library’s award winning status, its vision, and its values

I have known Roy Gibson personally for about 13 years. He is bright, hard working, and has dedicated 31 years to the city of Sanibel as a city planner and as a volunteer in countless nonprofits He is passionate about his work at the library, and currently he is working on a time capsule project to cele brate the library’s upcoming 60th anniver sary

board system still provides the best balance of skill specific expertise and public i e voter control

Appointment provides a nationwide pool from which to select the person best qualified to operate a school district with 96 campus es, more than 97,000 students, 13,000 employees and a $2 4 billion budget to, in effect, serve as the chief executive officer of one of Lee County’s largest and most com plicated business enterprises

The seven member elected board assures that not only parents, but the entire commu nity, has input into the direction of the schools we entrust to educate our children

We’ve not run a single guest column, not a single letter, in support of the referendum that would replace a vetted educator with the best politician campaign financing could, perhaps, buy

The reason?

We have not received one, not a single submission

Which surprises us not at all

This ballot initiative to establish an elect ed superintendent was not a concerted call from parents and those of us with children in the School District of Lee County’s public school system

This referendum was not a groundswell request that rose from our community

It was not initiated by teachers or staff, by

Letters to the Editor

Many of you know Susan Holly as the previous owner of MacIntosh Books, an island favorite Susan’s journalism career began with the Island Reporter before contin uing in New York and Washington, D C She and her family returned to Sanibel 26 years ago and they raised their son here Susan had a role in expanding The Sanibel School to become K 8, and continues to serve our com munity through multiple non profits in addi tion to the library board

Barbara Ruben is another indispensable board member whose experience includes managing the books of a busy medical prac tice for decades and being on the board of a school in West Virginia where she previous ly lived She has been part of countless book clubs over the years, and has served for nine y e a r s o n t h e S a n i b e l P u b l i c L i b r a r y Foundation’s Lunch with the Author com mittee

Roy Gibson, Barbara Ruben, and Susan Holly are valuable members of the library board who care deeply about continuing to improve our library’s award winning offer ings in a manner consistent with our library’s policy of intellectual freedom and vision of lifelong learning for all

Please be informed, read each candidate’s

school leadership or Lee County School Board members

It is a political put up job juggernauted through at the state level by our local L e g i s l a t i v e D e l e g a t i o n w i t h a w i n k n o d action anticipated in the shadiest recesses of political byways: Create new lucrative parti san offices here in Lee County Then, grease the skids for candidates of choice

Here’s what you have not yet read in the w e l l r e s e a r c h e d a n d c a r e f u l l y p r e s e n t e d columns and letters urging a “No” vote on the referendum for an elected superintendent of schools

Those hoping that voters agree that the superintendent is not a professional position, but a political one, are already gearing up with all hope for the 2024 election

The next stop?

A similar legislative gambit to put a refer endum calling for an elected county manager on the ballot if this one gulls enough Lee County voters

You gotta love the political machine here in Lee County.

From watching the latest constitutional office incumbent retire shortly before the next election to seeing the handpicked parti san pol appointed so as to run as an incum bent, it may be predicable but it’s seldom boring

Ode to Sanibel

To the editor:

Nothing Mother Nature throws at you, including the most recent island wrecking ball Ian could ever destroy you stun ning Sanibel

You are made from tough stock, with deep roots in the land and sea Natives and visitors alike love, adore and cherish you. They flock in droves year round to wake up early to watch the one of a kind sunrises you provide daily, free of charge, do sun saluta tions and Qigong flows on the beach at dawn, bird watch, stroll along your plentiful, shell strewn beaches, grab a net and dig for amaz ing shells (and if you look hard enough or by chance, you may find a prized, painted Sanibel Shells souvenir), make the time to visit the Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum for cool things like touch tanks to a

We want your opinion

The views expressed on the Opinions Pages are just that opinions These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opin ions printed on these pages do not necessarily reflect the views of The Island Reporter Opposing views are welcome All letters must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes. Letters considered for publication must relate to subjects of pub lic interest Letters to the Editor may be e mailed to Tiffany Repecki at trepecki@breezenewspapers com; posted to the virtual news room at captivasanibel.com; or mailed to 2340 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957. Letters are due no later than noon Thursday. The Island Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any submission

s t a t e m e n t s a n d g o a l s f o r t h e l i b r a r y a t https://www vote411 org/, read more about these three board members at friendsofsan lib org, and vote for these three to keep their seats and continue their important work

Dr. Dana D. Crater Sanibel

Group embarks on education campaign for school referendum

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Quality Schools for the Future formed about nine weeks ago with a primary purpose: Inform voters about a referendum on the November ballot that would change the process by which school superintendents acquire the position in Lee County

As per a resolution approved by voters in 1974, the Lee County School Board appoints the district’s top administrator to run the day to day operations of the pub lic school system The referendum, placed on the ballot by the State Legislature at the request of county’s local delegation, would overturn that 1974 voter edict and make the superintendent of schools an elected office

“We are a small group of people who have been in Fort Myers a long time and interested in education,” Bobbie D’Alessandro said “We are trying to tell people the truth So often you don’t know all the intricacies of all of the bill It is shocking to us that hardly anyone knows it is on the ballot ”

Jenna Persons Mulicka, R 78, sponsored HB 497, which was filed last November Co sponsors include Rep Adam Botana, R 76; Rep Mike Giallombardo, R 77; and Rep Spencer Roach, R 79

Referendum

But we digress

From

The issue is not that we, as taxpayers, will have to pay twice if this referendum passes once for the people with the actual knowledge to do the job and then again for the person who will take credit for it as they smile for the camera, slather on another layer of social media and PR gurus and campaign on the job for their next term or political stepping stone

The issue is, quite simply, what is best for the education of our children

Because the change requires voter approval, the choice is in our hands:

The current process by which our elected school board establishes a set of academic and educational criteria, insti

From page 4

If approved by the voters, the legislation would pro vide for an elected superintendent of schools in a partisan election with a term of four years The first election would take place in 2024

The referendum on the ballot reads:

“Repealing Resolution Providing for an Appointed, Rather than an Elected, Superintendent of Schools

“Currently, by resolution of the Lee County School Board, the Superintendent of Schools for the Lee County School District is an appointed, rather than an elected, position Shall Chapter 2022 233, Laws of Florida, which repeals the aforesaid resolution and provides that the Superintendent of Schools shall no longer be appoint ed by the Lee County School Board, but rather shall be elected in a partisan election by vote of qualified electors residing in Lee County for a term of 4 years, beginning with the 2024 general election, become effective?”

Voters may vote Yes to overturn the 1974 act, or vote No to reject it and keep the status quo

D’Alessandro said although some parents have been upset with the school board, this referendum is not the answer

“The elected superintendent has nothing to do with the board The board still has to approve everything the

tutes a nationwide search for qualified applicants, vets those applicants down to semi finalists and finalists, holds one on one and public interviews, conducts back ground and reference checks and hires the person deemed the best qualified?

O r t h e m e t h o d o u t l i n e d i n t h e r e f e r e n d u m v o t e r s w i l l d e c i d e o n N o v 8 w h i c h l i m i t s t h e p o o l t o L e e C o u n t y r e s i d e n t s w h o a r e a t l e a s t 1 8 a n d h a v e n ’ t c o m m i t t e d a f e l o n y ; t h a t g i v e s t h e v i c t o r a l l b u t c a r t e b l a n c t o o p e r a t e o u r g r o w i n g b y t h e d a y s c h o o l s y s t e m f o r t h e n e x t f o u r y e a r s i n b e t w e e n c a m p a i g n i n g a n d a c c e p t i n g c a m p a i g n c o n t r i b u t i o n s , o f c o u r s e ?

Letters

mollusk hospital, bike or walk all around y o u r l a i d b a c k i s l a n d o n t h e p r e t t y , flower lined path that traverses you, gob ble up your yummy delights from fresh, seafood plucked from the Gulf to all man ner of sweet tooth treats, drive through the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge hoping to spot an alligator or an armadillo and stop and wonder at the mag nificent mangrove trees, browse through stores with unique treasure troves from the l a n d a n d s e a , h e a d o v e r t o B a i l e y ' s General Store, the best grocery store on the island that was founded in 1889, where you can enjoy such local faves as pecan topped sticky buns, key lime mini bombs and on the Fourth of July a “Long John” donut decorated like the American flag, a place where employees and customers new and old really are treated like family, relax or play in your bath temperature Gulf water, search for creatures from the depths of the Gulf and even find some live sand dollars if you are lucky (but it's the law to return them to the s e a ! ) , c r u i s e o v e r t o y o u r n e i g h b o r ,

Captiva, in a locals' convertible (BTW, with the rag top down, wind in your hair and sun kissed cheeks, there is no better way to see you!), look to or from the Sanibel lighthouse for guaranteed good guidance since 1884, and last but never least, capture the one of kind, 364 days a y e a r s u n s e t s a l o n g t h e S a n i b e l

Causeway beach

From my first visit in February 2005,

just six months after Charley, when it's wrath and damage was still evident, to our most recent this June and July, you will always hold a very special place in my heart, sunny sensational Sanibel For if one visits you, they are bound to return again and again

Oh Sanibel, you are dear to me and though now separated, you are near and dear to me and my heart

I know you took devastating hits from Ian, that Periwinkle Way is under an incredible amount of sea water and the causeway was crushed to pieces, leaving your faithful inhabitants lost and weary beyond measure, but I trust in you. I have the faith that you will rebuild yourself, as you have done so many times before (since you were deemed a lighthouse reservation on Aug 20, 1884), resurrect ing yourself from the rubble left by Ian You'll be stronger than ever, as you have grit Sanibel, like no other With the knowledge from over 2,500 years of exis tence, another rebirth! It will not be the last time though, as you know better than to rest on your palmettos, knowing others with ordinary, unique or fad names will pay you a visit on some distant day between June 1 and Nov 1 in some dis tant year

It will take some time, but you will return to the splendor that is you, Sanibel, I love you!

#sanibelstrong Michele Gara Vernon, Connecticut

superintendent does, but they cannot hire, or fire the superintendent if (the position becomes) elected,” she said

D’Alessandro said the group formed to inform the public of the impact as the qualifications for an elected superintendent are few

As per the ballot initiative, the candidate must be 18 or older, not have been found guilty of a felony, must not be adjudicated as mentally incompetent and must be a Lee County resident when they qualify to run

“We are going to work right up to Nov 8 to make sure they know what it really means, so they can vote accord ingly,” she said.

D’Alessandro said the current superintendent, Dr Christopher Bernier, was just appointed through a nation al search by meeting such qualifications as a high degree, experience, understanding of curriculum, technology and student academic achievement She said the superintend ent runs the second largest business in Lee County

“It’s not for a lightweight It’s a crucial job and all about the kids,” D’Alessandro said “He (Bernier) would have to run for office in two years and anyone in the county could run against him ”

See EDUCATION CAMPAIGN,

policy makers Hire expertise That means securing the system that we have

Here is how the referendum appears on the Nov 8 ballot:

“Repealing Resolution Providing for an Appointed, Rather than an Elected, Superintendent of Schools

“ C u r r e n t l y , b y r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l B o a r d , t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f S c h o o l s f o r t h e L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l D i s t r i c t i s a n a p p o i n t e d , r a t h e r t h a n a n e l e c t e d , p o s i t i o n S h a l l C h a p t e r 2 0 2 2 2 3 3 , L a w s o f F l o r i d a ,

w h i c h r e p e a l s t h e a f o r e s a i d r e s o l u t i o n a n d p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f S c h o o l s s h a l l n o l o n g e r b e a p p o i n t e d b y t h e L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l B o a r d , b u t r a t h e r s h a l l b e e l e c t e d i n a p a r t i s a n e l e c t i o n b y v o t e o f q u a l i f i e d e l e c t o r s r e s i d i n g i n L e e C o u n t y f o r a t e r m o f 4 y e a r s , b e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e 2 0 2 4 g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n , b e c o m e e f f e c t i v e ? ”

Our children deserve better than this Vote No

Island Reporter editorial

Obituaries

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The answer is pretty plain to us: Elect

South Seas provides update on post-storm status

LCEC's main lines were expected to be energized for all of Captiva on Oct 20 It is aware that some problem areas exist from the main lines to the end user in some areas These areas will be isolated from the main line On Oct 21, LCEC was expected to begin energizing to the

end users who do not have a known prob lem It would then circle back and begin repairing and fixing the areas that were isolated

L C E C r e p o r t e d t h a t i t c a n n o t b e responsible for the condition of one's elec t r i c a l s y s t e m i n s i d e t h e r e s i d e n c e

Therefore, it wants all systems discon nected and only turned on at the main breaker if the homeowner is confident that

there are no interior complications LCEC suggests having a certified electrician ver ify before flipping the main breaker back on if there are any doubts

As for water, the HOA management teams are coordinating the powering up of their associations South Seas staff will assist those in the SSIR's rental program who are not part of an association For a s s i s t a n c e , e m a i l W a l t e r a t

bwalter@southseas com or Marina Bloetz at mbloetz@southseas com

Island Water Association

A s o f O c t . 1 9 , t h e I s l a n d W a t e r Association had put out directions on how to schedule to have one's water turned back on at https://www islandwater com/, where the application to restore service is

See SOUTH SEAS,

County: Captiva curfew is last left

On Oct 19, Lee County reported that it was rescinding its curfew for Pine Island, leaving Captiva as the only one remaining community within unincorpo rated Lee County with a curfew

Captiva remains under a 9 p m to 6 a m curfew until further notice This ensures continuity between Captiva and its neighbor, the city of Sanibel, which currently has the same curfew hours in place

For updates, visit www leegov com or follow @Lee County Government on Facebook or visit www facebook com/ leecountyflbocc

CCA maintaining lists of possible volunteers, rentals

The Captiva Civic Association report ed that it is working with the Captiva Community Panel to help organize those interested in vol unteering to assist with repairs and r e c o v e r y e f f o r t s on the island

It is maintain i n g t h e r u n n i n g list of possible volunteers

Fire district warns about electric vehicles, equipment

T h e C a p t i v a I s l a n d F i r e C o n t r o l District is recommending vehicles or equipment powered by lithium ion batter ies be moved into a driveway away from structures if they may have been sub merged in saltwater from Hurricane Ian

“These batteries have been the cause of multiple fires all over Lee and Collier counties after the hurricane,” Fire Chief Jeff Pawul reported “Our guidance from the experts in the industry is that these batteries cause extreme danger and have the potential to catch fire weeks after submersion ”

He noted that the added risk from these fires is the toxic chemicals that are released into the air, creating a dangerous hazardous materials situation.

“These fires are very difficult to extinguish, needing thousands of gallons of water and multiple h o u r s t o c o o l d o w n , ” P a w u l reported For questions, contact him at 239 896 2057

Those who would like to be included on the list are asked to fill out an online questionnaire about how they can help To complete and submit the Hurricane Ian Captiva Volunteers questionnaire, visit https://docs google com/forms/d/e/1FAIp QLSfJghYu7RfGwSzr2YBIGqS5HfYZe

w Y G B d n J H a 0 L X x Y w d q k 1 B A / v i e w form

In addition, the CCA has created a questionnaire to collect information about possible rentals that people from the island communities might have available off island, or if they know people who may have properties and would be willing to prioritize renting them to those from Sanibel and Captiva

To complete and submit the Rental O p p o r t u n i t i e s q u e s t i o n n a i r e , v i s i t https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp QLScKjDwn5bRtHqD3Bl2bI7Eb1RfuN w e r Q b A 8 L W W P K u x A g H U g / v i e w form

South Seas Island Resort Regional Managing Director Bob Walter provided the following:

Fire Chief Jeff Pawul

also available For those who are part of an association, their management representative is assisting with the logistics of turning on water, checking for leaks and such. South Seas staff will assist those in the SSIR's rental pro gram who are not part of an association For assistance, email Walter at bwalter@southseas com or Marina Bloetz at mbloetz@southseas com

FGUA Wastewater Treatment Plant

As of Oct 19, FGUA reported that that three phase

power to the plant was anticipated to be active some time on Oct 22 The wastewater treatment plant was functioning normally on generator power. Three phase power restoration will discontinue the need for the gen erator

FGUA has 18 wastewater pump stations: Nine pump ing stations (1 6, 14, 15 and 18) were apparently undamaged and were pumped using a portable trash pump or temporary generator power They are “two pump” stations serving mainly the commercial and condo

areas FGUA will know more once the utility power is restored

Nine pumping stations (7 13, 16 and 17) were buried and are in the process of being uncovered and assessed They are small “one pump” stations, mostly located along the beach home areas The controls panels were damaged and will be replaced New panels have been located and are readily available

Gover nor thanks island firefighters, hand delivers checks

Gov Ron DeSantis thanked

to

from

last week for their

to Hurricane Ian making landfall and were unable to be delivered On Oct 18 on Sanibel, DeSantis was joined by Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Fire Chief Kevin Barbot and crew members, Captiva Island Fire Control District Fire Chief Jeff Pawul and crew members, and Upper Captiva Fire and Rescue District Fire Chief

District continues efforts to improve school safety & security

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County continues to look into ways to improve safety and security, a measure taken t h r o u g h t h e F l o r i d a S a f e S c h o o l s Assessment Tool

S a f e t y , S e c u r i t y & E m e r g e n c y Management Executive Director Dave Newlan said when looking at the safety of campuses they check each school site and make an assessment of the school design and the layers of security.

Based on how it is designed, they look at what they should apply for the best lay ers of security

T h e d i s t r i c t c o n t i n u e s t o m a k e improvements to ensure the safety and

security of students and staff Some of the areas they are looking into on some cam puses include the possibility of additional fencing, enclosing walkways to separate front parking lots, adding to security cam eras, as well as really pushing high liabil ity training such as threat assessment training, reunification, legal issues and tactical communication

“We want to make sure we are consis tent,” Newlan said

H e s a i d s c h o o l r e s o u r c e o f f i c e r s assigned to schools will work with staff to go through different scenarios regarding tactical communication The scenarios will include what each person would do, how they would react to ensure no one becomes complacent

“We have to keep moving forward,” Newlan said, adding that they have to k e e p t r a i n i n g “ I t ’ s c o l l a b o r a t i v e Everyone is taking part, taking ownership, discussing and communicating and keep training ”

S u p e r i n t e n d e n t D r C h r i s t o p h e r Bernier said it is about training, education and prevention

Newlan said when they talk about t h r e a t a s s e s s m e n t , d e e s c u l a t i o n t e c h niques are discussed Law enforcement, mental health counselors and social work ers are involved as they work together through a case by case basis

“The whole idea is to be preventative, proactive. How do we prevent that from happening again,” he said “It has to be

constant and has to be continuous We still have to have these measures in place We have to be ready to go ”

A “swatting” incident at South Fort M y e r s H i g h S c h o o l , w h i c h c a u s e d a schoolwide lockdown, was also brought up in the discussion, as the district went over the event step by step to see how they could improve

“How do we communicate better to know what everyone is up to and ensure certain things are directed in a manner to allow for the best response with person nel,” Bernier said

He said the incident gave them infor mation on ways to improve their process es.

Jason Martin, along with Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle, city of Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith and other island digni taries

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

BUsiness

WSchool district to host recruitment event

The School District of Lee County will host an in person job fair on Oct 27 from 9 to 11 a m and 2 to 4 p m at the Lee County Public Education Center, at 2855 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers, to recruit for a range of instructional and non instructional positions as students return to schools after Hurricane Ian

Computers will be available onsite for job seekers to apply online, and attendees will have the chance to meet with district staff to learn more about open posi tions.

T o r e g i s t e r b y t o d a y , O c t 2 6 , v i s i t https://docs google com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiDOY 65Aeq74izVO2NqxorWnMdbCc53H0tQHrLkuQlA hr8zA/viewform?usp=send form

Positions are available across the district with a focus on high demand teaching and guest teaching positions for English, elementary education, science, math and special education, as well as for non instruc tional positions including instructional support pro fessionals, food service professionals and other sup port staff I n d i v i d u a l s w h o a l r e a d y e a r n e d a b a c h e l o r ’ s degree in any field can become eligible for Florida teacher certification by passing a subject area exam in their area of expertise, completing additional course work or enrolling in a teacher preparation program

The district’s efforts to put “The Right Talent in the Right Place” means that new teachers will receive the support and necessary resources that will enable them to succeed upon entering the field of education It offers a competitive and comprehensive compensa tion plan for employees, and additional benefits and earning opportunities are also available via advanced degree supplement, summer school, athletic coaching and more Upon hire, a personal benefits selection process will be made available

For more information, visit www LeeSchools net /Careers

Kiwanis resumes meetings off-island

San Cap Community Bank donates $100K to storm relief

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank announced it will donate $100,000 to local nonprofit organizations to sup port local Hurricane Ian relief efforts, including F I S H o f S a n i b e l C a p t i v a a n d C o m m u n i t y H o u s i n g & Resources

“As a community bank, we believe it is our responsi bility to help our community, especially in the wake of such a devastating and tragic event like Hurricane Ian,” President Kyle DeCicco said “Our goal for these funds is to support those who need it most so Southwest Florida can recover and rebuild ”

T h e d o n a t i o n w i l l b e d i s t r i b u t e d a m o n g s t 1 3

Southwest Florida nonprofit organizations and charitable causes that are serving the ongoing needs of residents who have been affected by Ian The remaining recipient organizations are the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation, Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club, Pine Island Food Pantry, The Heights Foundation, Midwest Food Bank Florida, Gladiolus Food Pantry, PACE Center

for Girls Lee, Valerie’s House, Southwest Florida Chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and Bruno’s of Brooklyn First Responder Meals.

“We want the community to know that we are here for them, and we’ll be working hard alongside them to rebuild even stronger than before,” DeCicco said

The bank has reopened five of its Fort Myers locations with full banking services and regular hours of operation

The Main Office on Sanibel sustained minimal storm damage and work is underway to reopen the branch; lim ited banking services are available periodically in the parking lot The Periwinkle Branch on Sanibel and the McGregor Branch in Fort Myers both sustained consider able storm damage and are temporarily closed for repairs

F o r u p d a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w w w S a n C a p B a n k c o m / h u r r i c a n e i a n r e c o v e r y resources

Report your business news to THE ISLANDER: captivasanibel.com

The Sanibel Captiva Kiwanis Club has resumed its meeting on Tuesdays at 8 a m It is temporarily meet ing at the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, at 14801 S Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers The club reported that there are no speakers or fixed agenda, just Hurricane

Ian survivors sharing life and friendship It added that its dedication to the community remains steadfast and it looks forward to being a part of the rebuild of Sanibel and Captiva For more information, visit www sanibelkiwanis org

SANIBEL CAPTIVA KIWANIS CLUB

Lee Health continues to offer free telehealth services

L e e H e a l t h r e p o r t e d t h a t i t h a s e x t e n d e d i t s f r e e t e l e h e a l t h s e r v i c e s t o t h e c o m m u n i t y f r o m n o w t h o u g h N o v 1 5 , t h a n k s t o a g i f t f r o m t h e T D C h a r i t a b l e F o u n d a t i o n i n s u p p o r t o f H u r r i c a n e I a n r e l i e f

L e e T e l e H e a l t h i s a n o n d e m a n d u r g e n t c a r e s e r v i c e t h a t c o n n e c t s p a t i e n t s d i r e c t l y w i t h a p h y s i c i a n o r a d v a n c e d p r o v i d e r I t i s a v a i l a b l e 2 4 / 7 a n d a l l o w s p a t i e n t s t o b e s e e n b y m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s a t h o m e , w o r k o r f r o m a n y w h e r e w i t h a s e c u r e i n t e r n e t c o n n e c t i o n A l l p a t i e n t s n e e d t o u s e L e e T e l e H e a l t h i s a s m a r t p h o n e , t a b l e t o r a c o m p u t e r w i t h a w e b c a m

L e e T e l e H e a l t h c a n b e a c c e s s e d i n t h e f o l l o w i n g w a y s :

∫ F r o m t h e L e e H e a l t h M o b i l e A p p

∫ D o w n l o a d i n g t h e “ L e e T e l e H e a l t h ” a p p o n y o u r s m a r t p h o n e o r t a b l e t

∫ V i s i t i n g h t t p s : / / l e e t e l e h e a l t h o r g f r o m a c o m p u t e r

VIP Realty Group announces top producers

V I P R e a l t y G r o u p announced its top producers for the month of September

Debbie Ringdahl had the t o p s a l e s W i t h l i f e t i m e sales exceeding $90 mil lion, she specializes in lux ury homes, condos and new home lots in waterfront and golf communities Ringdahl is a 20 year member of the VIP President’s Club and receives over 130 hours of c o n t i n u o u s a d v a n c e s a l e s training annually

Tina DiCharia and Glen DSimmons ebbie Ringdahl

T h e t e a m o f T i n a D i C h a r i a a n d G l e n S i m m o n s h a d t h e t o p l i s t i n g s D i C h a r i a h a s b e e n a c o u r t r e p o r t e r f o r o v e r 3 0 y e a r s a n d o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d a r e p o r t i n g a g e n c y S h e i s a p a s t m e m b e r o f t h e S a n i b e l C a p t i v a I s l a n d s R e a l t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s W i t h a J u r i s D o c t o r d e g r e e f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f B a l t i m o r e , S i m m o n s w a s a M i s s o u r i s t a t e t r i a l j u d g e , r e g i s t e r e d p a t e n t a n d t r a d e m a r k a t t o r n e y , a n d p a s t p r e s i d e n t a n d c u r r e n t b o a r d m e m b e r o f t h e S a n i b e l C a p t i v a A s s o c i a t i o n o f R e a l t o r s

Mary Morris was the top producer A full time licensed Realtor since 1999, her professional expertise i n c l u d e s C e r t i f i e d R e s i d e n t i a l S p e c i a l i s t , G r a d u a t e R e a l E s t a t e I n s t i t u t e , E P r o ( I n t e r n e t M a r k e t i n g

S p e c i a l i s t ) , S e n i o r R e a l Es tate S pecialis t, and A t H o m e w i t h D i v e r s i t y Certified Morris is a grad uate of Indiana University a n d h o l d s a M a s t e r o f S c i e n c e f r o m B u t l e r University

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , call 239 472 5187 or go to SanCapIslandRE.com.

VIP Realty Group is at 1 5 6 0 P e r i w i n k l e W a y , Sanibel

Mary Morris

County provides Hurricane Ian update from FEMA

Lee County officials reported that Lee County Emergency Management partners w er e b r ief ed o n O ct 2 0 o n F ed er al Emergency Management Agency statis tics that illustrate the local recovery effort

The following information was provid ed by FEMA for Lee:

Individual assistance

Online registrations: ∫ 163,141 total

Individual household program assis tance: ∫ $60 69 million already paid

$165 26 million approved

Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA):

12,679 eligible

282 currently checked in

137 hotels utilized

Schools reopen

The district is working with Imperium Consulting Group for FEMA and insur ance consulting services

“We are following FEMA guidance to ensure every dollar we are eligible for, we will receive,” Bernier said

He indicated they are in the first phase of recovery, remediation and stabilization. On Oct 6, the district awarded Cotton C o m m e r c i a l U S A , L e m o i n e D i s a s t e r Recovery, Royal Plus, and Signal USA to p r o v i d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n a n d r e m e d i a t i o n services to district facilities

He said they are “sealing the envelope”

sealing the walls, roofs, windows and doorways to prevent any additional water intrusion These are temporary fixes

All 88 schools returned to school by Oct 21, as all of the schools passed the final checkpoint of an indoor air quality test

“Contractors, in order to turn a build ing back to us, have to have an indoor air quality test They are liable and account able for turning over an unhealthy build ing,” he said

On Oct 17, 13 schools opened; 16 schools opened on Oct 18; 48 schools on Oct 19; three schools on Oct 20 and three schools on Oct 21

“All facilities that can open are open,” Bernier said. “Diplomat and Lexington begin their curriculum on Oct 21 ”

There are five schools that have not

From page 1

opened yet, but students are either sharing a campus with another school, or partici pating in virtual school

“They have the opportunity to continue to learn with their teachers,” he said of Diplomat Middle and Lexington Middle School students

On Oct. 17 when 13 schools opened, Bernier said 82 percent of students came back to school With 29 schools on Oct 18, attendance rose to 90 9 percent Bernier said the figures can rise to 99 per cent attendance in one building and as low a s 6 4 p e r c e n t a t t e n d a n c e a t a n o t h e r school

Staff is actively finding out where stu dents have gone, where they are now and how the district can help in assisting them return to school He said as they start to get information from other districts and have to send cumulative files they will know where students might be going

“It will be another two weeks before we have a sense of who is coming to school, who still may be coming,” Bernier said “We will start to be able to track our students that we potentially could lose ”

As far as bus attendance the first two days of school, it ranged between 80 per cent to 83 percent

“ T r a n s p o r t a t i o n w a s n ’ t e x a c t l y t h e highlight of the School District of Lee County operations prior to Ian,” Bernier said “I encourage parents to look where

Inspections:

74,461 required (applicants identi fied as being eligible for inspection at reg istration)

∫ 41,138 assigned (total number of inspections issued to an inspector, includ ing initial inspections and re inspections)

31,528 completed (total number of inspections returned by the inspector to FEMA)

9,610 pending (inspections that have not been returned)

Disaster sur vivor assistance

∫ 3,620 survivors registered

6,660 homes visited

11,232 survivor interactions

Residents impacted by Hurricane Ian who have not yet registered with FEMA a r e a s k e d v i s i t w w w D i s a s t e r A s s i s tance gov It is the first step in the process for receiving assistance

F i n d m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w w w f e m a g o v / d i s a s t e r / 4 6 7 3 o r www.fema.gov.

the bus stops are Do not place your child in harm’s way You are always welcome to drive your child to the school building, or organize with a neighbor ”

He said they are working with the state on removing debris from bus stop loca tions

On Oct. 13, 85.38 percent of TALC employees came back to work, which rose to 94 percent on Oct 18 Eighty five point 71 percent of SPALC employees returned on Oct 13, which again rose to 91 15 percent on Oct 18

Bernier said that shows an amazing deduction of employees

Two hundred teachers have identified themselves as homeless Bernier said, which have been matched with vouchers with the county and they are working with FEMA with travel trailers.

“If we can’t keep them here they have a professional shingle they can take some where else,” Bernier said

“We have reached out to the faith based community,” he said, adding this has been mobilized, offering an amazing window

Board Member Gwyn Gittens said a Survey Monkey was prepared to be able to match someone who has a room for a teacher

“A Survey Monkey was done and the committee decided to work with the faith b a s e d g r o u p i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e

Collaboratory The survey is going direct ly to the Collaboratory and they also have the list of the needs of staff and they are therefore able to match people up,” she said

When individuals fill out the form, w h i c h c a n b e f o u n d a t www.leeschools.net, the Collaboratory will contact them

“We are also working with the county on providing housing There is a huge effort going on,” she said

The second phase of post Hurricane Ian will be fixing what was impacted and the third phase is long term of new build ings, or gutting buildings and starting over on the interiors Bernier said the new flood line will probably be 12 feet to 15 feet high

He has yet to figure out how to build a building in the air to accommodate that

As far as the calendar for the remainder of the year, Bernier said they have already opened the dialogue in regards to forgive ness days The calendar committee is meeting, as well as parental members to make sure recommendations are brought forward and heard A recommendation from the calendar committee will be brought before the board early next week

Bernier said they are now 26 days in emergency operation, 20 days past the storm and 14 days of missed school

p

r

e r

Island funds

Sticker

benefits

From page 1

have lost their jobs and residences simultaneously.

The legion will rebuild from scratch as its insurance did not include wind or flood

To donate, visit https://www gofundme com/f/ relief for american legion post 123 sanibel

Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife is accept ing donations for recovery efforts

To donate, visit https://interland3 donorperfect net/ weblink/weblink aspx?name=E12127&id=86 or crow clinic org/donate/donate today

CROW has also created an Amazon Wish List for needed supplies for wildlife patients

To view the list, visit https://www amazon com/hz /wishlist/ls/3XQ87JGEAC8J?ref =wl fv le

Community Housing and Resources

Community Housing and Resources reported that its residents lost everything and they are now homeless and without jobs

It is accepting donations to help CHR residents with housing and essentials

To donate, visit https://sanibelchr org/donate/

The Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum is accepting donations to help it recover and rebuild its facility and to sustain its educational programs.

Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum

The Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum report ed that its facility was severely impacted

There was significant damage to the roof that required the relocation of a portion of its shell collection for tem porary safekeeping and the third floor remains in need of major repair The ground floor that houses the aquariums flooded with over 5 feet of water, causing significant damage throughout While some animals were saved, the majority perished, including the octopuses

It is accepting donations to help it recover and rebuild and to sustain its educational programs

To donate, visit https://donorbox org/bmnsm greatest need.

Children's Education Center of the Islands

The Children's Education Center of the Islands is rais ing funds for recovery and rebuilding

To donate, visit https://gofund me/7debba48

F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva

F.I.S.H. of Sanibel Captiva reported that its Walk In Center sustained an estimated 5 feet to 6 feet of water inundation due to the storm surge, which destroyed the interior building and all its contents

It is currently in a temporary location in Fort Myers, but it is in search of a long term solution

To donate, visit www fishofsancap org/donate or send a check to 2430 B Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957 To donate via a bank wire transfer or for more informa tion, contact info@fishofsancap org

J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society Friends of the Refuge has created the Hurricane Ian Relief Donations website to assist in the relief efforts at the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

To donate, visit https://interland3 donorperfect net /weblink/weblink aspx?name=E54182&id=22

Sanibel-Captiva Conser vation Foundation

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation report ed damages to its structures and properties, including the loss of intern housing and a wall on its new headquarters that was under construction

Donations will be used for temporary staff housing, heavy equipment and other immediate needs

To donate, visit https://donorbox org/donate to sccf or send to P O Box 101130, Cape Coral, FL 33910 If needed to process a donation, SCCF's Federal Employee Identification Number is 59 1205087.

For questions about wiring larger gifts to SCCF’s bank account or making a donation of stock shares, contact SCCF Development Director Cheryl Giattini at 239 822 6121 or cgiattini@sccf org

BAILEY MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM

CHILDREN'S EDUCATION CENTER OF THE ISLANDS

The Children's Education Center of the Islands is accepting donations for recovery and rebuilding.

F I S H OF SANIBEL CAPTIVA

F I S H of Sanibel Captiva is accepting dona tions for its recovery

REFUGE/DDWS Donations to the Hurricane Ian Relief Donations website will assist in the relief efforts at the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

REFUGE/DDWS

Tarpon Bay Explorers, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge recreational conces sion, was impacted by Hurricane Ian

St. Michael, All Angels gathering in Fort Myers

St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church reported that due to Hurricane Ian's damage to the church property, the congregation has a new temporary home at the Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Myers

Sunday worship will be held at 11:30 a m , followed by coffee hour in the fellowship hall

Also, there will be a service with optional healing prayers on Wednesday at 9 a m

“The church is the people, not the buildings, and we are thankful to report all are safe However, the property suffered extensive wind and water surge of 5 feet in the sanctuary, office building, hall and Noah’s Ark Thrift Shop,” officials reported. “A restoration company is already on the ground hard at work ”

“We look forward to returning to the island as soon as possible and help ing the entire Sanibel community be restored and rebuilt,” officials added “We have also set up a Hurricane Ian Relief Fund that will be used to help those in need on the island and help rebuild the church ” For more information and updates, visit https://www saintmichaels sani bel org/

at 239 472 2173

The Peace Lutheran Church is at 15840 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

Island funds

From

The Community House

The Community House reported that it has significant damage from the rooftop to the floors In addition, about 90 percent of its staff have lost their residences or been displaced

TCH has created the Sanibel Community House Hurricane Ian Recovery to support its staff and the recov ery and restoration of the building

To donate, visit https://gofund.me/8d266edd or mail a check to Sanibel Community Association, Hurricane Ian Relief Fund, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957

TCH mail is being forwarded to Executive Director Teresa Riska Hall at her residence in Fort Myers

The Sanibel Community Church is accepting donations to meet the practical needs of its members, establish a new location off island, relocate displaced staff, and rebuild its campus and church.

Sanibel Community Church

Sanibel Community Church reported that the roof lost lots of shingles, the main sanctuary floor was soaked and the Historic Chapel took in 2 two feet of water The Family Life Center and the Fellowship Hall took the worst in terms of debris and buckled walls The church van is dead in the parking lot

However, the youth room is entirely intact

t h a

Hurricane Fund

C

Donations will be used to: meet the practical needs of SCC members; establish a new location off island, relo cate displaced staff and, ultimately, rebuild the campus and church; and partner with outside groups and church es and empower staff and members to serve neighbors and proclaim the gospel

To donate, visit https://sanibel churchcenter com/giv ing/to/scc hurricane fund or mail a check to 1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957

ST ISABEL CATHOLIC CHURCH

St Isabel Catholic Church is accepting dona tions to rebuild and repair its facilities, clean up its grounds and reopen

St. Isabel Catholic Church

St Isabel Catholic Church reported that all three of its buildings experienced flooding and wind damage and will require extensive repairs to reopen

Donations received will go toward the effort of rebuilding and repairing the facilities, cleaning up the grounds and reopening

To donate, visit https://www wesharegiving org/app /giving/WeShare 2150

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church reported that while there is significant damage inside all of its buildings, the structures are in pretty good shape Also, the memorial garden faired very well

It has created The St. Michael’s Hurricane Relief Fund

Donations will be used to meet the needs of its parish ioners, community and property

To donate, visit https://secure accessacs com/access /oglogin aspx?sn=98897&f=100 or text “SMAA IAN” to 73256 and follow the text message instructions

The Sanibel School

The Sanibel School Fund reported that the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools has created a fund to col lect donations to support the relief efforts at The Sanibel School

It will be the primary donation collection vehicle for hurricane relief for the island school.

All funds designated for The Sanibel School will ben efit the island school

To donate, visit https://thefoundationforleecounty p u b l i c s c h o o l s n e t w o r k f o r g o o d c o m / p r o j e c t s / 1 7 1 3 4 2 hurricane ian relief fund and type “Hurricane Relief for The Sanibel School” in the “Your Note for the Donor Scroll” field

Checks can be made payable to the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools with “Hurricane Relief for The Sanibel School” written in the memo line and sent to 2266 Second St , Fort Myers, FL 33901

SANIBEL COMMUNITY CHURCH

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is accepting donations to meet the needs of its parishioners, community and property

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Located at St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Noah’s Ark Thrift Shop was severely impacted by Hurricane Ian

SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL

P a r t o f t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n Foundation family, the Sanibel Sea School's Kennedy Building and front building are still standing but sustained significant flooding from Hurricane Ian

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

c

c a p t i v a s a

Updates From page 1

one He told the story of a disabled vessel discovered in a Cape Coral canal with about 30 workers on it and one of the workers on board had in his possession a pass someone had lent him

e p o r t e r

I s l a n d

“It is unfortunate some people take advantage of a disaster like this,” Dalton said at the time

“If you see someone doing something or something just doesn't seem right, call us,” he added

To report an unauthorized entry or tres pass, contact the SPD at 239 472 3111

In addition, the city had released the following updates as of Oct 24:

Re-entr y procedures

From now through Oct. 30, the city's following re entry procedures are in place for residents, businesses, private contrac t o r s a n d p r o p e r t y o w n e r s t o a c c e s s Sanibel and Captiva:

∫ Inbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

∫ There are two inbound lanes: The left lane is for residents, businesses, prop erty owners and private contractors, and the right lane is for emergency vehicles and emergency government contractors

∫ A valid 2021 or 2022 city issued Hurricane Re Entry Pass must be promi nently displayed or a Florida driver's license with a Sanibel or Captiva address readily available when approaching checkpoints

∫ Outbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

∫ There is one outbound lane from the causeway and two outbound lanes on McGregor Boulevard

∫ A curfew is in effect on Sanibel and Captiva from 9 p m to 6 a m No vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian movement is permit ted, except for essential response person nel The curfew is being strictly enforced

Beginning on Oct 31 and until further notice, vehicular traffic will be allowed as follows:

M o n d a y a n d T u e s d a y : E s s e n t i a l response personnel

∫ Emergency vehicles

∫ Debris management

∫ Electric providers

∫ Water and sewer utility providers

No resident, business owner, property owner nor private contractor will have access

W e d n e s d a y t h r o u g h S u n d a y :

Residents, business owners, property owners and private contractors

∫ Inbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

∫ There are two inbound lanes: The left lane is for residents, businesses, prop erty owners and private contractors, and the right lane is for emergency vehicles and emergency government contractors

∫ A valid 2021 or 2022 city issued

Hurricane Re Entry Pass must be promi nently displayed or a Florida driver's license with a Sanibel or Captiva address r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e w h e n a p p r o a c h i n g checkpoints

∫ Outbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

∫ There is one outbound lane from the causeway and two outbound lanes on McGregor Boulevard

∫ A curfew is in effect on Sanibel and Captiva from 9 p m to 6 a m No vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian movement is permit ted, except for essential response person nel The curfew is being strictly enforced

Hurricane re-entr y passes

∫ R e s i d e n t : R e s i d e n t i a l H u r r i c a n e Reentry Pass or valid ID with island address

∫ P r o p e r t y o w n e r : R e s i d e n t i a l Hurricane Reentry Pass with valid ID

For a Residential Hurricane Reentry P a s s , v i s i t https://www mysanibel com/content/dow nload/30505/file/Residential%20Pass%2 0Application%202022 pdf

∫ Contractor: Commercial Hurricane Reentry Pass with valid ID

For a Commercial Hurricane Reentry Pass, visit https://www mysanibel com /content/download/30506/file/Commerci a l % 2 0 P a s s % 2 0 A p p l i c a t i o n % 2 0 %202019%20 %20MASTER pdf

∫ I n s u r a n c e a d j u s t e r : I n s u r a n c e Adjuster Reentry Pass with valid ID

For an Insurance Adjuster Hurricane Reentry Pass, visit https://www mysani bel.com/news announcements/news/hur r i c a n e i a n r e c o v e r y i n s u r a n c e a d j u s t e r access to sanibel

Passes are issued Monday through Saturday from 8 a m to noon and from 1 t o 5 p m a t t h e c i t y o f S a n i b e l ' s Temporary City Hall, which located in the Captiva Room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www mysanibel com/

Conditions on Sanibel

T h e s p e e d l i m i t o n t h e e n t i r e i s l a n d i s 2 0 m p h o r l o w e r , b a s e d o n c o n d i t i o n s A T V s , U T V s , s i d e b y s i d e s a n d g o l f c a r t s n o t l e g a l l y r e g i s t e r e d t o o p e r a t e o n c i t y s t r e e t s a r e p r o h i b i t e d P l e a s e b e a w a r e o f d i s p l a c e d w i l d l i f e t h r o u g h o u t t h e i s l a n d

LeeTran shuttle ser vice

LeeTran is operating two shuttle bus routes to help residents move through the islands The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a m to 6 p m and the service is free The Sanibel route begins at the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce parking lot, with additional stops at: Jerry’s Plaza, Bailey’s Shopping Center, J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge overflow lot, Bowman's Beach Road, and the South Seas Island Resort The Captiva route begins at South Seas and fol

lows the reverse route to the chamber For a map of the Sanibel shuttle route with stops, visit https://cc mysanibel storage s3 ama zonaws com/main/images/9/8/5/1/201589 1 eng US/ian%20transit%20map%20v2 PAL 1 PNG For a map of the Captiva shut tle route with stops, visit https://cc mysani b e l s t o r a g e s 3 a m a z o n a w s com/main/images/3/9/5/1/201593 1 eng US/ian%20transit%20map%20v2 PAL 2 PNG

Cur few

A curfew is in effect on Sanibel from 9 p m to 6 a m No vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian movement is permitted, except for essential response personnel The cur few is being strictly enforced.

Power restoration

L C E C h a s p r o v i d e d e s t i m a t e d t i m e l i n e s f o r p o w e r r e s t o r a t i o n o n b o t h i s l a n d s t h a t c a n b e v i e w e d a t h t t p s : / / w w w m y s a n i b e l c o m / c o n t e n t / d o w n l o a d / 3 0 7 3 9 / f i l e / S a n i b e l C a p t i v a R e s t o r a t i o n T i m e l i n e % 2 0 % 2 8 0 0 2 % 2 9 p d f T h e t i m e f r a m e f o r p o w e r r e s t o r a t i o n o n S a n i b e l i s g e n e r a l l y O c t 3 1 H o w e v e r , t h e r e i s c u r r e n t l y n o t a d e t a i l e d t i m e l i n e f o r p o w e r r e s t o r a t i o n a t e a c h h o u s e a n d s t r u c t u r e T h e r e m a y b e u n i q u e s i t u a t i o n s w h e r e p o w e r r e s t o r a t i o n m a y b e d e l a y e d

Water restoration

The Island Water Association has pres s u r i z e d t h e w a t e r d i s t r i b u t i o n s y s t e m t h r o u g h o u t S a n i b e l a n d C a p t i v a T h e water is not safe for consumption, unless brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute To re establish service at a prop e r t y , c o m p l e t e t h e r e q u e s t f o r m a t https://www islandwater com/

CITY OF SANIBEL

A map of the public portable toilets located throughout Sanibel, marked with the gold and dark green arrows Additional ones have been placed near The Sanibel School and at Blind Pass Beach Park.

Sanitar y sewer

T h e

a

receiving limited toilet flush; however, other domestic water use should be mini mized, including showering, laundry and dishwasher use When performing an ini tial home cleaning, limit water use so sed iment does not enter the wastewater sys tem Homeowners are reminded to have their plumbing inspected for any leaks and broken lines prior to any use

Debris removal

Debris removal is ongoing. The city, along with its contracted debris hauler, continue to explore potential sites for tem porary storage of debris removed from residential neighborhoods before it can be hauled off the island For directions on how to separate debris in order for it to be

cane ian recovery debris hauling

Trash collection

The city has placed containers at the City Recycling Center to collect residen tial refrigerator and kitchen rubbish No commercial rubbish, debris or vegetation will be accepted Commercial property owners must contact their waste hauler for pick up, as needed.

Reassessments of proper ties

The U S Army Corps of Engineers are performing reassessments of properties that were previously deemed “destroyed” and “major damage” by the Urban Search and Rescue teams Property owners who sustained hurricane damage may advise the Lee County Property Appraiser about the damage by emailing hurricaneup date@leepa.org. They can also directly upload photos and other information at https://www leepa org/Membership/Logi nForm aspx?ReturnUrl=%2FMembership %2FActions%2FAddPhotos%2FAddPho toForm aspx

Building per mits

The city recognizes the need of resi dents and their contractors to start mitigat ing damage quickly, efficiently and safe ly While a building permit is required for most construction related work, various improvements of real property may not require a building permit The city has i s s u e d a “ S a n i b e l G u i d a n c e f o r Construction Related Work That May be Completed Without a Building Permit” to inform residents about work that may be

completed without a permit For more information, visit https://www.mysani bel com/content/download/30729/file/No %20permit%20PR%20Final pdf

FEMA floodplains map

T h e c i t y ' s f l o o d p l a i n m a n a g e m e n t r e g u l a t i o n s a n d c o d e s s p e c i f y t h e l o w e s t h a b i t a b l e f l o o r o f a l l n e w b u i l d i n g s m u s t b e e l e v a t e d t o o r a b o v e t h e b a s e f l o o d e l e v a t i o n ( B F E ) e s t a b l i s h e d b y F E M A i n t h e F l o o d I n s u r a n c e R a t e M a p s ( F I R M ) , p l u s 1 f o o t . T h e r e g u l a t i o n s a l s o s p e c i f y “ s u b s t a n t i a l i m p r o v e m e n t ” o f e x i s t i n g b u i l d i n g s o r b u i l d i n g s t h a t h a v e s u s t a i n e d “ s u b s t a n t i a l d a m a g e ” ( a s d e f i n e d i n t h e S a n i b e l C o d e ) m u s t b e b r o u g h t i n t o c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r n e w c o n s t r u c t i o n T h e c i t y h a s p r o v i d e d a G I S m a p t o a s s i s t h o m e o w n e r s i n r e v i e w i n g t h e u p d a t e d F I R M t h a t w i l l b e c o m e e f f e c t i v e o n N o v 1 7 a t h t t p s : / / s a n i b e l m a p s a r c g i s c o m / a p p s / w e b a p p v i e w e r / i n d e x . h t m l ? i d = 1 7 2 4 f 8 e 1 e 6 6 8 4 0 c 7 b 0 f 1 4 2 d 6 b b 5 9 1 9 6 3

Por table toilets

P o r t a b l e t o i l e t s h a v e b e e n p l a c e d around the island On the map, they are marked with the gold and dark green arrows Additional portable toilets have

Education campaign

An elected superintendent could not be fired, she said

“It would take almost four years to get out of office,” D’Alessandro said as only the voters could remove that person. “It’s very hard to be removed from office, unless they committed a felony ”

D’Alessandro was a former assistant s u p e r i n t e n d e n t f r o m 1 9 9 0 9 4 a n d a

From page 5

superintendent from 1994 97, as well as a teacher at Cypress Lake High School

“Our kids are so important I was born and raised here and I graduated from Fort Myers (High School). I am willing to do whatever it takes to inform people,” she said “The best decision is what is right for kids ”

She said partisan politics need to be

been placed near The Sanibel School and at Blind Pass Beach Park. To view the m a p , v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w m y s a n i b e l c o m / n e w s a n n o u n c e m e n t s / n e w s / h u r r i c a n e i a n daily update tuesday october 19 2022

Recreational vehicles (RVs)

The Sanibel Municipal Code provides that recreation vehicles may be used for residential purposes or on a temporary basis only in a mobile home park

Storage pods

Storage pods are allowed at single family homes, but only temporarily and for no more than 30 days

Mail pickup

Island mail may be picked up at the JetPort Loop Mail Station, at 14080 JetPort Loop, Fort Myers Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 4 p m and Saturday from 9 a m to noon

Propane deliver y

Blossman Gas is serving as the city's vendor to deliver propane to residents who have a propane generator, or people can contact their own supplier To receive propane, call 239 244 1529.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

T h e S a n i b e l & C a p t i v a I s l a n d s Association of Realtors and other area associations have launched a rental web site Islanders seeking a rental during r e c o v e r y c a n v i s i t h t t p s : / / h u r r i c a n e homes org/

Temporar y City Hall

The city of Sanibel is operating from a T e m p o r a r y C i t y H a l l , l o c a t e d i n t h e Captiva Room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers

∫ Main City Hall phone number is 239 472 3700

∫ Temporary Hurricane Ian phone number is 239 603 7261

∫ Call Center is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a m to 5 p m

∫ Information Desk is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a m to noon and from 1 to 5 p m

∫ Emergencies: Call 911

The city will continue to provide infor mation at https://www mysanibel com/ and on Facebook at “The City of Sanibel, Florida,” as well as email those who have signed up for city announcements To sign up, visit https://www mysanibel com/gov e r n m e n t / c i t y m a n a g e r s o f f i c e / u s e f u l links/sign up for city announcements

kept out of the schools, and she will be out educating the public until the last vote is cast

Information they are sharing includes that 27 of the 29 school districts in Florida with an appointed superintendent earn grades of an A or B, while 15 of the districts with elected superintendents earn a C Florida and Alabama are the only

states that have allow for an appointed superintendent

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page at “Quality Schools for the Future” or www.qualityschoolsforthefu ture com

Persons Mulicka did not respond to requests for comment

SANIBEL MAPS ARCGIS COM

Sanibel flood map

PReseRVinG PaRadise

DDWS: Refuge damage still under assessment

On Oct 18, the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society Friends of the Refuge reported that as J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge staff continue to assess the more than 7,000 acre land and water mass within the Lee County refuge area, along with refuge complex hold ings in the Everglades, reports of damage are generalized

Serious impacts to vegetation, boardwalks, observa tion decks and the solar panels and other Visitor & Education Center roofing have been reported. The lack of power and limited effectiveness of generators have meant no air conditioning and issues inherent with humidity and dampness The DDWS office was submerged by storm surge, estimated at about 5 feet and ruined Intern hous ing has been rendered unlivable, and the maintenance area experienced extensive damage A full assessment of the complete damage will take much more time, and the DDWS is unable to release any additional specifics

The DDWS added that biologists are currently unable to determine the recovery time for the wildlife habitat With the hurricane having a direct hit on Sanibel, the con cerns are high on the status of the mangroves. That deter mination and assessment continues

REFUGE/DDWS

Refuge welcomes new education intern

Education intern Olivia Hogan recently arrived to help the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel with staffing shortages this season, thanks to funding from the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society Friends of the Refuge Hogan graduated from Eckerd College in St Petersburg in May with a major in marine science (biology concentration) and a minor in coastal man agement. The Frederick, Maryland, native wrapped up a summer internship at Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center in New Jersey before arriving to Sanibel

At the refuge, she will help the conservation edu cation team with program development and delivery to local students and visitors through May She is most looking forward to teaching students from The Sanibel School, who visit monthly for in the field les sons at the Wildlife Education Boardwalk

“I’m loving Sanibel,” Hogan said “I most love working with the 'Ding' Darling team, exploring Wildlife Drive, and taking the bike trails to the beach ”

“Our interns bring youthful energy, enthusiasm and creativity to the refuge team,” Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland said “At the same time, the program gives students and recent graduates an opportunity to learn hands on about the environ ment and refuge operations Olivia’s work will help us fulfill a vision to partner with The Sanibel School, a vision we have mapping out for more than 10 years ”

For more information about the refuge’s internship program and supporting it, contact DDWS Associate Executive Director Sierra Hoisington at 239 472 1100, ext 233

Research cruise investigating potential post-hurricane red tide

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that Marine Lab Director Dr Eric Milbrandt is aboard a collaborative research cruise organ ized by the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) that set sail on Oct 18 from St Petersburg to evalu ate water quality conditions in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

“There has been a pattern over the last 20 years that long and intense red tide blooms can occur after the landfall of major hurricanes It hap pened the year after Charley and Irma,” he said “The oceanographic c o n d i t i o n s p r e c e d i n g a n y b l o o m event give us clues to the sources of nutrients and the phytoplankton com munities We also will be looking for hypoxia and other unusual condi tions.”

On the seven to eight day cruise, scientists and researchers will sample about 50 offshore sites from St Petersburg to Naples to investigate the potential development of a red tide bloom due to Ian’s epic flood waters Red tide blooms typically occur in Florida in the fall, and hurri canes are suspected to play a role in stimulating blooms The heavy rain fall and flooding cause land based nutrients to flow outward to coastal waters and blooms feed off those nutrients

The researchers, including scien t i s t s f r o m F l o r i d a G u l f C o a s t University's Water School, will be on call 24/7 on the FIO’s 78 foot R/V Hogarth, which has berths for 10 sci entists and a wet and a dry lab Aside f r o m s a m p l i n g , t h e y w i l l a l s o retrieve some equipment displaced by the Category 4 hurricane by uti lizing dive teams.

S a n i b e l & C a p t i v a I s l a n d s

Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Calli Johnson is on the cruise as one of FGCU’s dive safety officers

“I am excited to document the changes caused by Hurricane Ian to our local waters It’s important to me from a scientific perspective, as well as from a business standpoint,” she said “When our waters are healthy that means positive changes for our tourism based economy and for the fishermen on our waters daily ”

In organizing the cruise, FIO cap italized on its partnerships across the state, with members stepping up to p r o v i d e d a t a , l o g i s t i c a l s u p p o r t , equipment and scientific supplies to the FGCU and SCCF

“Like FIO’s response to the Piney Point discharge event, the deploy

m e n t o f r e s o u r c e s t o t h e a r e a s impacted by Ian shows the impor tance of our state supported mission We are focused on bringing the best science capabilities of Florida’s uni versities and organizations to the forefront of these coastal ecosystems to better understand the storm’s over all impact,” FIO Director Dr Monty Graham said

D a t a c o l l e c t i o n w i l l f o c u s o n water quality and the hurricane’s impact on coastal geology Scientists at the FGCU and SCCF have long term data to evaluate how local ecosystems and water quality were affected by the hurricane

“We’ll use the data from the water

(Editor's note: The following announcement was provided prior to Hurricane Ian )

TOM MILLER Mangrove cuckoo

Olivia Hogan is filling an education internship position focused on applying Florida standard lesson plans to students in the great outdoors

SANIBEL CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

SFWMD extends comment period for LWC update

Due to Hurricane Ian's effects on many stakeholders in the Lower West Coast Planning Area, the South Florida Water Management District has extended the public comment period for the Draft 2022 Lower West Coast Water Supply Plan Update to Nov 4 It assesses current and projected water needs through 2045 in the LWC Water Supply Planning Area, which encompasses Lee County and portions of Charlotte,

Collier, Glades, Hendry and Monroe.

T o v

e w

https://www sfwmd gov/sites/default/files/2022 LWC Plan Draft pdf?utm medium=email&utm source=gov delivery

To submit written comments, email bverras@sfwmd gov

An overview of the draft plan update was provided at

the third public meeting about the Lower West Coast Water Supply Plan Update on Sept 1 The draft planning document and appendices were posted to the SFWMD's website on Aug 25 To watch a recording of the meet ing, visit https://www youtube com/watch?utm medi um=email&utm source=govdelivery&v=DH0T5zwjzU w For more information, visit SFWMD gov/LWCPlan

SFWMD seeking public comment on draft plan

The South Florida Water Management District is encouraging partners, stakeholders and the public to pro vide comments on its Draft 2023 2028 Strategic Plan

The plan serves as a blueprint for achieving balanced regional water resource management The SFWMD updates the plan annually to highlight its work to continue advancing

Research cruise

plan?utm medium=email&utm source=govdelivery

From page 14

samples to look for low dissolved oxygen and salinity levels indicating stratification of the water column to see if conditions are similar to 2018,” Marine Lab Manager A J Martignette said “Freshwater sat on top of saltwater then and wasn’t mixing We’ll see if the same situation is present ”

A rosette will be deployed from a control room on the research vessel to collect water samples at various depths

The SCCF has been regularly testing 25 sites off shore from North Captiva to Sanibel since the 2018 red tide, thanks to funding support of the Vince family of Captiva through Goldman Sachs Gives The sites are included in the cruise and will offer before and after data

Some results of the research cruise will be immedi ate, such as dissolved oxygen and salinity levels Other results including nutrient levels and phytoplankton will take up to a month

“This is a tremendous opportunity to work with our colleagues at sea and advance the science of the West Florida shelf,” Milbrandt said “We are grateful to all of the FIO members who donated equipment that our Marine Lab and FGCU lost in the hurricane to make the cruise possible ”

RIGHT: A rosette will be deployed from a con-

room on the research vessel to collect

samples at various depths.

The deadline to submit

comment is Oct 28

https://forms office com/Pages/ResponsePage aspx?id=c 3E 0oazkU6M5wUqGNZTQd3kiGPQ 21Pp0PRf7PN zJdUNTQ1WjNKQTg1TjRQRFdLU01WMkpEUUlJSy

medium=email&utm source=govdelivery

SANIBEL CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

ABOVE: Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Calli Johnson, who is serving as one of FGCU’s dive safety officers,

Milbrandt

CROW still stands in aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian brought much uncertainty to Southwest Florida and the Sanibel community, but one thing is clear the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife is here to stay, officials reported

CROW staff jumped into action as soon as the projected track of the hur

A

several days, on Sept 26 the decision to evacuate was made and staff mem bers began preparations The next day, critical care patients were transferred

C

facilities, while students, animal ambassadors and remaining patients were evacuated to safe off island loca tions

CROW hospital staff brought owls, hawks, animal ambassadors and other avian species into their apart ments, garages and guest bedrooms for continued care during the storm Orphaned mammals such as raccoons, squirrels and opossums resided temporarily with CROW students in their hotel rooms for scheduled feedings Though unconventional, staff and students provided opti mal care in the face of a historic natural disaster and chal lenging circumstances

A f t e

Causeway made it impossible to resume operations at the wildlife hospital on island Hospital staff coordinated transfer and placement plans for patients and animal ambassadors in their care All were transferred to a few partnering organizations, including the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Florida Keys Wild Bird Center and South Florida Wildlife Center

“The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores even graciously offered to temporarily care for and house two of our animal ambassadors Mina, the great horned owl and Talon, the red tailed hawk,” Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager Breanna Frankel said “Billy, the nine banded armadillo, was permanently placed at the Central Florida

CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE

CROW wildlife rehabbers Breanna Frankel, Katie Mueller, Lilli Pedersen and Morgan Hester administer patient treatments out of Frankel's Sgarage. ee CROW, page 17

C R O W H u r r i c a n e I a n Recovery Fund

CROW Animal Ambassador Mina, the great horned owl, at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary.

CROW students feed patients in their hotel rooms.

Dr Melanie Dittmer with CROW wildlife rehabbers Katie Mueller and Morgan Hester take the Lee County Mosquito Control District's helicopter to the island for supplies

CROW

From page 16

Zoo where he will continue to educate the p

d explore ”

“Although we will miss working with our ambassador animals, we made the decision to transfer them with their best interest at heart,” staff veterinarian Dr Robin Bast said “We hope to see some of them back at CROW in the future ”

Thanks to aerial photos and helicopter transport from the Lee County Mosquito Control District, CROW staff were able to see some of Ian’s effects Fallen trees had damaged rehabilitation enclosures, storm surge had breached the bottom floor of the hospital, and hurricane force winds had tore sections from the siding and rooftops,

but the wildlife hospital, visitor education center, and student housing buildings are still standing

Since the storm, CROW staff have been checking in with BluePearl Pet Hospital off Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers twice a day to triage any admitted wildlife patients BluePearl has been a CROW partner and off island drop off location for years. Staff will continue to assess injured wildlife, treat and transfer them to partnering wildlife centers for continued care until a temporary off island clinic is set up

On Oct 13, a crew from the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation brought a few CROW staff members to the island

on the Norma Campbell research vessel to collect much needed medical supplies CROW wildlife rehabber Katie Mueller even rescued an orphaned raccoon found on the property CROW board members and executives are working to secure a temporary, off island location where the mission of saving Southwest Florida’s wildlife can continue

“The outpouring of support to continue CROW’s mission in spite of Hurricane I a n ’ s w r a t h i s a m a z i n g , ” E x e c u t i v e Director Alison Charney Hussey said “Our partners, like the Animal Refuge Center and BluePearl have opened their doors to us, and our donors and volunteers are providing the resources, both financial

and sweat equity, to make sure we get back on our feet quickly The team is so humbled and blessed to have the support of our community both here and from afar ”

If you find injured, orphaned or sick wildlife, bring them to the BluePearl Pet Hospital, at 9500 Marketplace Road, Fort M y e r s F o r w i l d l i f e o r o p e r a t i o n a l inquiries, contact info@crowclinic.org.

To donate toward CROW's recovery, visit crowclinic org/donate/donate today or scan the QR code with your phone For updates on clinic needs and ways to get involved, follow on Facebook at “CROW C l i n i c f o r t h e R e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f Wildlife” and Instagram @crowclinic

CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE Opossum babies, known as joeys, being cared for by CROW staffers

CROW staff used candlelight to warm fluids for patients, such as medications and feeds.

Nighthawk being cared for by CROW staffers

CROW Animal Ambassador Billy, the nine banded armadillo, at the Central Florida Zoo

C R O W A n i m a l A m b a s s a d o r Ta l o n , t h e r e d t a i l e d hawk, at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary

Aerial shots of the Clinic for the Rehabilita tion of Wildlife's buildings after Hurricane Ian.

City reports on Sanibel Causeway reopening and re-entry process

The city of Sanibel reported that on Oct 19, Gov Ron DeSantis announced the Sanibel Causeway bridge had reopened for public access

From now through Oct 30, the city's following re entry procedures are in place for residents, businesses, private contractors and property owners to access Sanibel and Captiva:

access open from 6 a m to 9 p

There are two inbound lanes: The left lane is for residents, businesses, property owners and private con tractors, and the right lane is for emergency vehicles and emergency government contractors

valid 2021 or 2022 city issued Hurricane Re Entry Pass must be prominently displayed or a Florida driver's license with a Sanibel or Captiva address readily available when approaching checkpoints

access open from 6 a m to 9

There is one outbound lane from the causeway and two outbound lanes on McGregor Boulevard.

A curfew is in effect on Sanibel and Captiva from 9 p m to 6 a m No vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian move ment is permitted, except for essential response person nel The curfew is being strictly enforced

on Oct 31 and until further notice, vehicu lar traffic will be allowed as follows:

O N D A Y A N D T U E S D A Y : E S S E N T I A L RESPONSE PERSONNEL

management

providers

Water and sewer utility providers

No resident, business owner, property owner nor pri vate contractor will have access

E D N E S D A Y T H R O U G H S U N D A Y : R E S I DENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, PROPERTY OWN ERS AND PRIVATE CONTRACTORS

Inbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

There are two inbound lanes: The left lane is for

residents, businesses, property owners and private con tractors, and the right lane is for emergency vehicles and emergency government contractors

A valid 2021 or 2022 city issued Hurricane Re Entry Pass must be prominently displayed or a Florida driver's license with a Sanibel or Captiva address readily available when approaching checkpoints

∫ Outbound access open from 6 a m to 9 p m

There is one outbound lane from the causeway and two outbound lanes on McGregor Boulevard

∫ A curfew is in effect on Sanibel and Captiva from 9 p m to 6 a m No vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian move ment is permitted, except for essential response person nel. The curfew is being strictly enforced.

CONDITIONS ON SANIBEL

Sanibel continues to be a challenging environment As of Oct 19, there was no electricity to any structures, and no potable water available for drinking, bathing or flush ing toilets There is no ground transportation and no oper

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

City and LeeTran partner to provide shuttle service on islands

The city of Sanibel has announced a partnership with LeeTran to provide temporary ground transportation on Sanibel and Captiva

B e g i n n i n g o n O c t 2 1 , LeeTran will operate two shuttle bus routes to help residents move through the islands. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a m to 6 p m and the service is free

T h e S a

S a

& C

CITY OF SANIBEL

Map of the Sanibel shuttle route with stops.

Both

For

operate

during the hours of operation

of the

City provides guidance on debris collection, hauling

The city of Sanibel reported that it is beginning its recovery process in the wake of Hurricane Ian

Island residents, who can safely do so, are asked to place any storm generated debris on the pub lic right of way The public right of way is the area of residential property that extends from the street to the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole or easement Residents are urged to separate the debris as fol lows:

Early voting extended through Election Day

The Lee County Elections Office r e p o r t e d t h a t d u e t o t h e i m p a c t o f

Hurricane Ian, numerous Election Day polling sites were left non operational i n s e v e r a l c o u n t i e s , i n c l u d i n g L e e County

As a result, Gov Ron DeSantis has issued an emergency executive order granting approval for Supervisors of Elections in affected counties to extend early voting through Election Day

The 12 sites are:

∫ Cape Coral Lee County Library, at 921 S W 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

∫ East County Regional Library, at 881 Gunnery Road N , Lehigh Acres

∫ Estero Recreation Center, at 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd , Estero

∫ Fort Myers Regional Library, at 1651 Lee St , Fort Myers

∫ Lee County Elections Bonita Springs Office, at 25987 S Tamiami Trail, Suite 105, Bonita Springs

∫

Vegetative debris: Whole trees, tree stumps, tree branches, tree trunks and other leafy material

Construction and demolition debris: Damaged components of buildings and structures such as lumber and wood, wall board, glass, metal, roofing materials, tile, furnishings and fixtures

A p

Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners,

machines clothes dryers and water heaters

Electronic waste: Computers, televi

cetera

∫ H o u

: Materials that are ignitable, reactive, toxic or corrosive such as paints, cleaners, pes ticides, et cetera

Only loose debris will be collected. Bagged debris should not be placed on the public right of way

The city is asking residents to make

Causeway

throughout the island and is actively being collected by the city’s debris management contractor The speed limit on the entire island is 20 mph or lower, based on con ditions ATVs, UTVs, side by sides and golf carts not legally registered to operate on city streets are prohibited Please be aware of displaced wildlife throughout the island

every attempt to avoid stacking debris below low hanging power or utility lines In addition, do not place debris within 4 feet of:

∫ Mailboxes

∫ Water meters

∫ Fire hydrants

∫ Any other above ground utility

The city reported that only debris placed on the public right of way will be eligible for collection until further notice If all debris is not picked up during the ini tial pass, continue to push remaining debris to the right of way for collection on subsequent passes

As debris is cleared, it is likely nails and screws will be repeatedly dropped in the road To prevent flat tires, residents are asked to collect and dispose of any nails and screws found in front of resi dences

HURRICANE RE ENTRY PASSES

Resident: Residential Hurricane Reentry Pass or valid ID with island address

Reentry Pass with valid ID

For a Residential Hurricane Reentry Pass, visit https://www mysanibel com /content/download/30505/file/Residentia l%20Pass%20Application%202022 pdf

Contractor: Commercial Hurricane

F o r t h e N o v . 8 G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n i n L e e C o u n t y , t h e 1 2 a v a i l a b l e v o t i n g s i t e s o p e n d u r i n g e a r l y v o t i n g w i l l a l s o b e o p e n o n E l e c t i o n D a y , r e p l a c i n g t r a d i t i o n a l E l e c t i o n D a y p r e c i n c t v o t i n g V o t i n g s i t e s w i l l b e o p e n t o a l l r e g i s t e r e d v o t e r s d u r i n g t h e v o t i n g p e r i o d , r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i r a s s i g n e d p r e c i n c t V o t e r s c a n c h o o s e t o c a s t t h e i r v o t e f r o m a n y o f t h e 1 2 a v a i l a b l e v o t i n g s i t e s d u r i n g E a r l y V o t i n g o r o n N o v 8

“ G o v . D e S a n t i s ' e x e c u t i v e o r d e r makes it possible for our office to move forward with our plans to make voting as accessible as possible for the voters of Lee County in the wake of a natural disaster,” Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle said “Voters can be confident they can cast their vote safely and securely

Early voting hours are now through Nov 7 from 9 a m to 6 p m daily

∫ Lee County Elections Cape Coral Office, at 1039 S E 9th Ave , Cape Coral

∫ Lee County Elections Center, at 13180 S Cleveland Ave , Fort Myers

∫ North Fort Myers Recreation Center, at 2000 N Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers

∫ Northwest Regional Library, at 519 Chiquita Blvd N , Cape Coral

∫ Suarez Hall at Schandler Hall Community Park, at 419 Royal Palm Park Road, Fort Myers

∫ Veterans Park Recreation Center, at 55 Homestead Road S , Lehigh Acres

∫ Wa Ke Hatchee Recreation Center, at 16760 Bass Road , Fort Myers

Election Day voting hours will be from 7 a m to 7 p m on Nov 8

For more information, visit

Information/Early Voting Locations

bel com/news announcements/news/hur

Reentry Pass with valid ID

For a Commercial Hurricane Reentry Pass, visit https://www mysanibel com/ content/download/30506/file/Commercia

%202019%20 %20MASTER pdf

Adjuster Reentry Pass with valid ID

For an Insurance Adjuster Hurricane Reentry Pass, visit https://www mysani

access to sanibel

Hurricane re entry passes can be obtained from the city of Sanibel's Temporary City Hall, which is located in the Captiva Room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers Passes are issued Monday through Saturday from 8 a m to noon and from 1 to 5 p m For more information, visit https://www.mysanibel.com/.

CITY OF SANIBEL

CITY OF SANIBEL

Map of the Captiva shuttle route with stops

FWC taking applications for limited, goliath grouper harvest

From now through Oct 30, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is accepting applica tions for the first harvest of goliath grouper in state waters since 1990 for the upcoming 2023 season, which will be a highly regulated limited harvest

through successful conservation efforts by state and fed eral agencies over the past three decades that aided goliath grouper population rebuilding following years of overfishing The limited entry harvest will allow addi tional access to a fishery that has been catch and release only since 1990 by issuing permits via random draw lot tery The cost to apply is $10 plus fees and permit lottery applications will be available at GoOutdoorsFlorida com

Details for the limited, highly regulated harvest include:

∫

Total recreational harvest of up to 200 goliath per year, with a maximum of 50 from Everglades National Park.

∫ A goliath harvest permit and tag, issued via a ran dom draw lottery ($150 for residents and $500 for non residents, plus fees) are required to participate Permits and tags are non transferable and no exemptions apply

∫ A limit of one fish per person per open season with permit and tag

∫ An open season from March 1 through May 31

Hook and line as the only allowable gear

A slot limit of 24 inches to 36 inches total length

∫ Post harvest requirements including proper appli cation of the tag, reporting harvest data and submitting a fin clip for genetic analysis.

∫ Harvest will be permitted in all state waters except those of Martin County south through the Atlantic coast of the Keys, all of the St Lucie River and its tributaries, and Dry Tortugas National Park

∫ Harvest will continue to be prohibited in federal waters

“The highly regulated, limited take of goliath grouper is an exciting and unique opportunity to provide access to this resource after decades of closure and we believe lim ited access is sustainable,” FWC Commissioner Robert Spottswood said “We also look forward to collecting the post harvest data to help guide future management deci

sions for this species ”

The opportunity is intended to provide additional access to the fishery, while balancing the values of stake holder groups Adult goliath grouper will continue to be prohibited from harvest statewide, as well as goliath in heavy dive ecotourism areas It is not intended to address fishing depredation concerns

For more information, visit the Goliath Grouper

signing up volunteers and campers

Trailways

Trailways Camps is registering vol unteers and campers for its camp set for Nov. 14 17.

In addition, it has rescheduled its camp that was planned for Oct 17 20 to Jan 9 12 Campers who were registered for the October camp have automatical ly been re registered for the January one

“Our primary interest is the health and safety of campers, families, staff and volunteers at Trailways Camp,” founders Sharon and Jerry Miller report ed

Volunteer registrations are currently open and welcome for the camps on Nov 14 17, Jan 9 12 and Feb 20 23 Also, new camper registrations are wel come for the November and January

Senkeleski will follow up with volun teers who register

trailwayscamps

@gmail com

com or

Trailways Camps was established in Southwest Florida to develop and pro vide camping experiences for adults with special needs and respite for their caregivers Its mission is: “Enabling adults with special needs, and those who care for them, to grow their social, emo tional and spiritual relationship ”

Public reminded some county sites remain closed for recovery efforts

When recovery operations cease at the sites and they reopen, the county will noti fy the public with alerts to media at w w w l e e g o v c o m / s t o r m a n d w w w l e e parks org and on social media

following sites are not open to the public as they are supporting local, state and federal recovery efforts:

Lakes Park, at 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers

Punta Rassa Boat Ramp, at 15001 Punta Rassa Road, Fort Myers

∫ Rutenberg Park, at 6500 South Pointe Blvd , Fort Myers

∫ Lee County Sports Complex, at 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers

∫ JetBlue Park, at 11500 Fenway South Drive, Fort Myers

The public is also asked at this time to avoid island parks and preserves

The county appreciates the public's patience as the community recovers from Ian

Many Parks & Recreation sites have been assessed post storm and are open. To f i n d a l t e r n a t e s i t e s , v i s i t www leeparks org, call 239 533 7275 or email leeparks@leegov com

For recovery updates, visit www lee g o v c o m o r f o l l o w @ L e e C o u n t y G o v e r n m e n t o n F a c e b o o k o r a t www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

Harvest Permit webpage at https://myfwc com/license /recreational/saltwater fishing/goliath grouper harvest permit

For more information about goliath grouper regula

M

F W C

M

Regulations,”

Fish” and “Goliath Grouper

FILE PHOTO

Edison, Ford estates to host Fall Festival

Only a month after Hurricane Ian ripped through Fort Myers, the historic homesite of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford the Edison and Ford Winter Estates will open up to the public with a Fall Festival on Oct 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The family friendly event will include craft vendors, food trucks, music and activities for children

The activities will include the Banyan Tree Climb, s p o n s

r

Landscape Association Early registration is encouraged

as the activity is expected to sell out

Tickets are $35 for members and $45 for non mem bers

Families will be able to select and purchase pumpkins in the Pumpkin Patch, with the option to paint the pump kins (paint provided) Other activities will include adult and kid friendly axe throwing and archery, plus youths can get their face painted or get fairy hair The Wild Wizards will conduct science experiments and a balloon artist will make crafty animals Attendees also will have

an opportunity to make their own floral bouquets at the flower truck

There is no cost to attend; however, each vendor will have a fee to participate in activities Attendees are encouraged to bring cash. Entry to the museum, labora tory and riverside will require a ticket

Parking will be free in the Edison Ford lots

For more information or tickets, visit EdisonFord org

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

EDISON AND FORD WINTER ESTATES Children climb the historic Banyan tree at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers

and HoMe Sislander

DOH-Lee provides information about indoor mold

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County addresses some of the most common questions concern ing indoor mold

How can I tell if there is mold in my home?

Search areas where you notice mold odors, if you smell an earthy or musty odor, you may have a mold problem

Indoor mold growth can usually be seen or smelled.

City issues guidance for power restoration

∫ Mold often emerges as a staining or fuzzy growth on furniture or building materials, such as walls, ceilings or anything made of wood or paper

∫ Look for signs of moisture or water damage, such as water leaks, standing water, water stains and conden sation Check around air handling units, such as air con ditioners and furnaces, for standing water

Who is most affected by mold?

Infants, young children, older adults, people with chronic respiratory conditions and people with weak ened immune systems may be affected sooner and more severely than others by mold in the home If you have concerns, you should consult a healthcare provider if you feel your health has been affected by indoor mold

What health problems can be caused by mold?

There are four kinds of health problems that come from exposure to mold: allergic illness, irritant effects, infection and toxic effects For people who are sensitive to molds, symptoms may occur such as nasal and sinus irritation or congestion, dry hacking cough, wheezing, skin rashes or burning, or watery, reddened eyes People with severe allergies to molds may have more serious reactions, such as hay fever like symptoms People with weakened immune systems may be more likely to get infections from certain molds, viruses and bacteria Molds can also trigger asthma attacks or cause develop ment of asthma Headaches, memory problems, mood swings, nosebleeds and body aches and pains are some times reported in mold complaints. The long term pres ence of indoor mold may eventually become a problem Please note, that allergic reactions to mold are common and can be immediate or delayed

How should mold be cleaned?

Mold should be cleaned as soon as it appears Persons who clean mold should not be in one of the risk groups noted above Do not use ozone generators Protective gloves and safety goggles should be worn during clean ing Small areas of mold should be cleaned using deter gent/soapy water or a commercial mildew or mold clean er. The cleaned area should be thoroughly dried. Throw away any sponges or rags used to clean mold If the mold returns quickly or spreads, it may mean you have an underlying problem, such as a water leak If there is a lot of mold growth, consult the U S Environmental Protection Agency’s booklet “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings ” Although written about schools and commercial buildings, the document addresses mold in other types of buildings If the moldy material is not easily cleaned, such as drywall, carpet padding and insulation, removal and replacement may be necessary

The city reported that prior to being re powered by LCEC, all structures on Sanibel are required to follow the below steps before the city can notify LCEC that power may be restored to an address: m m e r c i a l , m u l t i f a m i l y a n d gle family homes with an elec rical service greater than 600 amps require a licensed Florida engineer to provide an inspec tion and approval of the exist ing electrical equipment ∫ If undamaged, email the p p r o v e d f o r p o w e r e n g i n e e r rt to the city at the below address

∫ If damaged, a licensed electrical contractor must make the required repairs and then have an engineer rein spect and email the approved for power engineer report to the city at the below address

∫ Once the report is received, the city will notify LCEC that power may be restored

Commercial, multi family and single family homes with an electrical service less than 600 amps require an e l e c t r i c a l c o n t r a c t o r t o p r o v i d e a n i n s p e c t i o n a n d approval of the existing electrical equipment

∫ If undamaged, email the approved for power con tractor report to the city at the below address

∫ If damaged, a licensed electrical contractor must make the required repairs and then contact the city at the below email address to schedule an inspection

∫ Once the inspection passes, the city will notify LCEC that power may be restored

To access the approved for power report for engineers, v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w m y s a n i b e l c o m / c o n t e n t / d o w n l o a d / 30747/file/Hurricane%20Ian%20Release%20of%20Po wer%20Engineer%20Affidavit%20Engineers pdf

To access the approved for power report for contrac tors, visit https://www mysanibel com/content/down load/30746/file/Hurricane%20Ian%20Release%20of% 20Power%20Contractor%20Affidavit%20Contractors p df

T o s u b m i

e

h e r f o r m , u p l o a d a n d e m a i l t o IanPowerAffidavit@mysanibel com

To read the full guidance, visit https://www mysani bel com/content/download/30774/file/REVISED%20Sa nibel%20Guidance%20on%20Power%20Restoration% 20%282%29 pdf

The city noted that LCEC has provided information to help customers understand what LCEC is responsible for and what the customer is responsible for For more infor mation, visit https://www lcec net/assessing damage to your home and business following hurricane ian F o r q u e s t i o n s , c o n t a c t H o l l y V e t t e r a t IanElectric@mysanibel com

Operation Blue Roof deadline extended

T

reported that the last day to apply for

extended through Nov 1 for home owners in Lee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte and Collier counties affect ed by Hurricane Ian

The program is a no cost free service for homeowners, providing a temporary solution that protects their property and allows them to remain in their residences as they continue to recover

Homeowners impacted by Ian can sign up at Blueroof us, call toll free 888 ROOF BLU (888 766 3258) or stop one of the in person sign up locations A list of current sign up l o c a t i o n s c a n b e f o u n d a t https://www usace army mil/Mission s/Emergency Operations/Blue Roof Information/

Operation Blue Roof is a priority mission managed by the Army Corps f o r t h e F e d e r a l E m e r g e n c y

Operation Blue Roof has been extended through Nov 1 for homeowners in Lee County

Management Agency The goal of the program is to provide homeown ers in disaster areas with fiber rein forced, industrial strength sheeting to protect storm damaged roofs until

homeowners can make permanent repairs

Not all roof types qualify for the p r o g r a m F o r d e t a i l s , v i s i t Blueroof us

LCEC on protocols for restoring power

By LCEC

LCEC will follow the normal pro tocols as it restores power

If lines to the structure are intact and appear electrically sound, we will connect. If it is damaged, we will not; LCEC will require a per mit/inspection and the customer will have to contact us for reconnect

S o m e t i m e s m a j o r s t o r m s c a n cause damage to your home that will

prevent your power from coming back on, even though LCEC has made all necessary repairs to your circuit.

The following are some things customers can do:

∫ Check your circuit breaker: Have any switches been tripped? If your home has any storm related f l o o d i n g , a d d r e s s t h i s i s s u e f i r s t before attempting to assess any home

electrical problems

∫ Make a visual inspection of the outside of your home: Is there any visible damage to your weatherhead (the place where electric wires attach to your home)? Are there any wires dangling on the ground that should be connected to your home? If so, stay clear and call 239 656 2300 or 800 599 2356 to report it

U S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

A symbol of hope for all of us

For the past 51 years, preparing for the Days of Awe took all the focus and energy that I could m u s t e r T h i s y e a r t h a t pressure was compound ed with my wife Vickie’s diagnosis of stage 3 non Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hurricane Ian, which left u s s y n a g o g u e l e s s a n d h o m e l e s s T h e s e w e r e huge challenges not only for me, but also for our wonderful congregation, the Bat Yam Temple of the Islands

A n d y e t , C a n t o r Murray Simon, the out standing lay leaders of B a t Y a m a n d I d e t e r mined that somehow we would make Yom Kippur possible for our congrega tion And we were able to make a spiri tually satisfying lemonade out of the bunch of lemons that was dumped on our heads

Cantor Simon and his pianist wife, Toby, opened their home in Lakewood Ranch for us to Zoom broadcast our services to our community We used no prayerbook, but still we managed to suc cessfully convey the mood and meaning of the essential Yom Kippur prayers which Cantor Simon, with Toby accom panying him, chanted so beautifully

P e o p l e a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y a n d around the world contacted me and other congregational leaders to ask, “What can we do to help?” I responded, “The one thing you can do for us that

would mean so much is to join us on Zoom for our Kol Nidre service ”

T h e r e s p o n s e w a s overwhelming We are a small Jewish community, especially preseason, yet more than 100 congre g a n t s a n d g u e s t s f r o m around the country and other parts of the world some tuning in at 2 a m in their time zone joined us to show solidar ity with us at this very difficult time We were p a r t i c u l a r l y t o u c h e d t o note that some of our guests were rabbis who did not have their own p u l p i t r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , and some were non Jews Words cannot convey my gratitude and that of Bat Yam Temple to every one of our guests You gave us strength

The rescue of our Torah scrolls by Melissa and Scot Congress made Lester Holt’s NBC National news, and our suc cess at providing worship was featured in both the “New York Times” and the local public radio outlet Never have I been prouder to serve as rabbi of Bat Yam

I see the rescue of our Torah scrolls as a symbol of hope for all of Sanibel May God’s timeless instruction inspire us all to work together and rebuild our island community stronger than ever before

Hope Healthcare to host ‘Secrets to Surviving the Season’ via ZoomSymphony to present ‘Haunted Halloween’

GULF COAST SYMPHONY

The Gulf Coast Symphony will present “Haunted Halloween Symphonic Family Concert” on Oct 30 at 2 p m at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall, at 13350 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers It will perform family friendly Halloween music, including from movies like “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and more Costumes are encouraged, and there will be a children’s costume contests with prizes Prior to the concert at 1 p m , there will be safe trick or treating and the Musical Discovery Zone in the lobby, where children and adults can try out orchestra instru ments Tickets are $15 For more information and tickets, visit https://gulfcoastsym phony org/

From

Who should do the cleanup?

One consideration is the size of the mold problem If the moldy area is less than 10 square feet, which is less than a 3 foot by 3 foot patch, cleanup can be han dled yourself However, if there has been significant water damage and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult the EPA booklet referenced above

If you choose to hire a contractor, con sider someone licensed by the state of Florida The license for a mold assessor or mold remediator can be checked by using the “VERIFY A LICENSE” tab on the F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f B u s i n e s s a n d

Professional web page at www myflori d a l i c e n s e c o m / w l 1 1 a s p C h e c k r e f e r ences and ask the contractor to follow cur rent recommendations by EPA and the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists or other professional or government organi zations

If you think the air conditioning or heating system has been affected, check the EPA's guidance documents under “Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?” Consult a licensed air conditioning or mechanical contractor for additional information

Hope Healthcare will offer a three part support group, “Surviving the Season: Getting through Thanksgiving to the New Year after Loss,” via Zoom on Nov 3 and 17 and Dec 8 from 6 to 7:30 p m

Designed for ages 18 and older, the virtual workshop will offer professional guidance for dealing with grief and loss when emotional triggers are common place A bereavement counselor will help

attendees develop effective coping strate gies, while art and music therapists will demonstrate creative techniques to adjust to challenging new circumstances

The group is open to the public at no cost, thanks to community support.

Advance registration is required

For more information or to register, c o n t a c t L o r r i e M c C a n n @ H o p e H C S o r g or 239 985 7716

Who can I call if I want more infor mation on mold?

For additional information, call the DOH Lee’s Environmental Health Office at 239 690 2100 or the Florida DOH’s Radon and Indoor Air Program at 800 543 8279 They can provide guidance and advice on prevention, identification of mold problems, investigation techniques, clean up methods, disaster planning and messaging, health effects including possi ble hazards of mold exposure and direct concerned people to appropriate local resources

Where can I obtain additional infor mation?

More information on mold can be found through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at https://www hhs gov/, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www cdc gov/mold/default htm, University of Central Florida's Florida Solar Energy Center at https://energyresearch ucf edu/consumer/buildings/building science basics/mold growth/ or Florida Department of Health Indoor Air at https://www florida health gov/environmental health/indoor air quality/

are returning home after evac

cautiously

main

for

Until

structure are powered up If you

can confirm the integrity of your house’s electrical system, turning off the main breaker ensures safety once the lines to

have any doubts, have a certified electri cian verify before flipping your main breaker back on

Power up gradually: Turn on your

appliances one at a time to prevent power surges

For restoration updates, electrical safe ty tips and more, visit lcec net

Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs is with the Bat Yam Temple of the Islands

Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs Faces on Faith

o m

i v a s a n i b

LWV of Lee provides information and election resources

The League of Women Voters of Lee County report ed that for post hurricane election information, including election office locations and times, voters can visit h t t p s : / / w w w l e e v o t e / o r c o n t a c t t h e L e e C o u n t y Supervisor of Elections at 239 LEE VOTE (239 533 8683)

It noted that Vote by Mail ballots will not be for warded Voters in an area that is not receiving mail or voters who have an alternate address due to displace ment, should contact the Lee County Supervisor of Elections to request a replacement Vote by Mail ballot

Only one returned ballot per voter is accepted

The deadline to request a Vote by Mail ballot is Oct 29

“Our hearts go out to all who were impacted by dev astation of Hurricane Ian Thanks to first responders, util ity workers, community leaders, neighbors and friends who continue to work diligently for all of us,” LWV of Lee County President Sarah McDonald said. “Elected leaders make the decisions that affect disaster preparation and cleanup, healthcare, employment, education and more It is crucial that voters in Lee County make their voices heard in the Nov 8 General Election ”

It also provided the following nonpartisan election resources:

∫ P u b l i s h e d b y t h e L e a g u e o f W o m e n V o t e r s Education Fund, VOTE411 (https://www vote411 org/) provides voters with the resources they need to make an informed vote The Voter Guide includes local, state and federal candidates, along with ballot initiatives

∫ In partnership with the Alliance for the Arts, the LWV of Lee County has held Virtual Candidate Forums T h e r e c o r d i n g s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o v i e w f o r f r e e a t w w w l w v l e e o r g , h t t p s : / / w w w v o t e 4 1 1 o r g / a n d https://www artinlee org/VirtualForums/

∫ The League of Women Voters of Florida has elec tion resources available at https://lwvfl org/ and informa t i o n a b o u t t h e 2 0 2 2 F l o r i d a e l e c t i o n s a t https://lwvfl org/elections 2022/

∫ For election protection voting questions or issues, visit https://protectthevote net/ or contact the English lan guage hotline at 866 OUR VOTE (866 687 8683) or the Spanish language hotline at 888 VE Y VOTA (888 839 8682)

The League of Women Voters of Lee County is a non partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase

‘Alligator in the Sky’

(Tainos were the pre Columbian inhabitants of Puerto Rico and the West Indies Huracán (hoo rah kán), from which our English word hurricane is derived, was their god of wind and chief enforcer )

I

When they were still a people, the Tainos of Borinquen believed the Milky Way was a giant alligator sprawled across the inverted belly of night

That was why I sat uneasy at the Sanibel Island Council meeting while they voted to harvest the alligators for killing two of our islanders surely warranted, even inevitable, the removal decision still smelled of revenge.

I knew that Huracán, quick to anger, had not disappeared with the Tainos who worshipped him but still smoldered every summer in the cauldron seas off West Africa looking for excuses to spawn and spin furious offspring toward the New World that had tried to displace him

II

And so a few days after the first harvest, I watched the Weather Channel as Huracán spit two wild children, Bonnie and Charley into the boiling Atlantic to search and destroy the Milky Way profaners of Southwest Florida

III

Bonnie missed the target, my uneasiness eased for a few hours but then on the Doppler screen her brother Charley whirled suddenly over the Cayman Islands the Weather Channel oracles explaining ominously: “Every major hurricane to hit Florida must pass over Hebert Box Two, or the Cayman Islands” but they all failed to mention: Cayman was the Spanish word for alligator

IV

Like Cyclops chasing Odysseus, Charley, his ever tightening dreadful eye flailing maelstroms of fury around him, raced straight toward me and Southwest Florida

V

Orlando or Miami?

I guessed right and fled over Alligator Alley to the posh sanctuary of the Hotel Calypso in Miami, lounging in cowardly luxury by the stagnant 400 foot “Infinity” pool while Charley roared ashore in vengeful fury behind torrents of horizontal rain, whacking down every Australian pine daring to stand up to him, forcing palm trees to their knees, tearing off roofs, crushing homes, collapsing pool cages, and for the longest time darkening my island so that I could not return

understanding of major public policy issues, and influ ences public policy through education and advocacy It seeks to engage all citizens in the decisions that impact

Joe Pacheco

Poetic License

VI

We waited for hours on the long line to the causeway to behold the ravishment of our island by Charley, Huracán’s son her flora dress rudely torn and stripped, the once lush green body of Sanibel left brown and naked to the hot peering eye of post hurricane sun, then violated further by grapplers, cherry pickers, backhoes and chainsaws

The house I had abandoned to the storm greeting me like a battered child smiling weakly at a deadbeat father, I wondered, From Eden to Hades in a Huracán minute, could Paradise be regained?

VII

Then Huracán spit Frances toward Florida On the Weather Channel, I watched her spiral toward the East Coast a buxom Category 4 daugh ter

It was time to flee to the stone and steel sanctuary of Manhattan Island.

VIII

Huracán kept pursuing and raging with two more blockbuster children: Ivan turning twice into the northern Gulf to liberate alligators from the zoos in Alabama and Jeanne drenching and flooding everything in her path from Florida to New England, neither aware that in between their landfalls I had sneaked back to rebuild my island

IX

As I opened my house for the third time, a sudden gust of wind rattled my torn pool cage On the golf pond behind my house an unharvested alligator navigated nervously, as if he knew what I knew on our island, very soon, there would only be one giant alligator in the sky

their lives Its voter service activities provide unbiased, factual information that can be used to understand the election process and to reach voting decisions

Report your news to THE ISLANDER: captivasanibel.com

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